Base-ball bat.



No. 780,244. PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905. J. M. TRUESDELL' BASE BALL BAT APPLIUATION FILED 0(JT.1, 1903.

WITNESSE/i- @z/ZJQ i M wad/W IINTTED STATES Patented January 17, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

BASE-HALL BAT...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,244, dated January 17, 1905.

Application filed October 1, 1903. Serial No. 175,835.

To all whom, 21/; 772/607] concern.-

Be it known that I, JosIArI M. TRUESD'ELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Base- Ball Bats, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in base-ball bats, and has for its object to provide a bat which will stand the shock of contact with a ball without splitting or breaking.

Another object is to provide a bat which is strengthenedin such manner that it will not interfere or mar the smooth surface.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts more fully explained hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a base-ball bat embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the flush surface of the bat with the strengthening means.

Base-ball bats as manufactured at the present time are often broken when a swiftlypitched ball is hit, and when this occurs a good hit is usually spoiled, and it sometimes happens that one of the players is injured by the broken end. It is to overcome these and other disadvantages thatI have devised a bat of the following construction.

In carrying out my invention I provide the ordinary bat l with a spiral groove 2, which is preferably semicircular in cross-section. This groove starts just above that portion of the bat used by the player as a handle and continues spirally around the same to a point about twothirds the length thereof. The space covered by this groove is where the bat is most likely to break in case of accident.

Into the groove 2 I wind the strengthening means, consisting, preferably, of a wire 3, flattened on one side, so as to be of the same cross-sectional shapeas the said groove. This wire fits snugly within the groove and when in place presents a smooth continuous surface, so that the contour of the bat is not in the least spoiled.

Fastening means 4. (shown in the present instance as consisting of staples fitting snugly over the wire and driven even with the surface of the bat) are provided at each end of the wire to securely hold it in place.

It will be understood that I may employ any other suitable winding material in place of the wire shown, and I do not limit myself to wire. Other minor changes may also be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A bat having a spiral groove cut therein extending continuously around it from a point near the handhold or grip toward the enlarged or bat end, and a strip of strengthening material tightly wound in the groove flush with the surface of the bat and fastened at its ends to the body of the bat to prevent the bat from splitting or breaking.

2. A base-ball bat havingagroove out therein and extending spirally around it, said groove having a half round strengthening means firmly seated in the groove, and flush with the surface of the bat, and means for fastening the ends of said strengthening means to the bat.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSIAH M. TRUESDELL.

Witnesses:

A. K. SMITH, D. WVEBs'rER, Jr. 

